News

Navitat Canopy Adventures Creates Exciting Canopy Tour Element with TRUBLUEs

Navitat, together with sister company and course designer/builder, Bonsai Design Inc, always looks for new and exciting ways to add on to their canopy tour experience. They look to add elements that will enhance the entire tour while of course staying true to their company mission with safety being a priority.

Not just for climbing walls, The TRUBLUE Auto Belay is the newest course element at Navitat Canopy Adventures in Wrightwood, CA. There are 3 rappelling experiences on their course, (where one must lower themselves from the trees by descending on ropes) the last of which is the final course element aside from the hike out.

On the third rappel, instead of rappelling via their Deus Device that is used for the first 2 rappels, guests can choose to leap off the last platform while attached to the TRUBLUE Auto Belay. It’s a perfect way to end the tour as by this time, guests have learned to trust the equipment and can truly enjoy this awesome new element.

Guest love the TRUBLUE leap, as you can see in the video below (featured at toward the end of the video at 1:13).

We received so many great entries in our TRUBLUE 5.10 contest, that we couldn’t pick a winner. So, we have chosen three finalists in each of the following categories:

• Climbing Gym
• University
• Other

Through February 21, 2012, you may vote for your favorite facilities. The facility in each category with the most votes will be the TRUBLUE 5.10 winner for that category and will receive TRUBLUE auto belays to use in their facility for up to five months.

Adventure Rock Climbing Gym is a 12,000 square foot climbing gym with 26 auto belays. They discovered the potential of auto belays to capture and retain members, as well as cut staff costs and manage risk.

The debut of the zipSTOP zip line brake has been a huge hit at the IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando, FL. The product was selected from hundred of products on the show floor for a feature article in the IAAPA Show Daily.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE (scroll down to the 7th product)

Ziplines are making a big buzz at the show, and people are extremely interested in the innovative zipSTOP Zipline Braking System.

As quoted in the article:

“The company’s president, John McGowan, says zipSTOP is a revolutionary improvement over the current “analog” systems using compression springs, brake trolleys on a bungee cord, or even manual human braking to decelerate the zipline riders. ‘This is the first legitimate zipline braking system,” he said. “It uses eddy-current braking to gradually and smoothly brake the zipline. Also, tests have shown that zipSTOP can experience tens of thousands of zipline [runs] without wear to components.’ He says the system is also not affected by wind conditions, which can greatly increase the operating time of ziplines.

McGowan notes that the industry is moving toward high-speed ziplines—up to 60 miles per hour or even faster. For the sake of rider safety and comfort, he said operators should seriously consider the zipSTOP.”

Learn more about the zipSTOP Zipline Braking system.

Adding to the list of international awards for TRUBLUE, the device received a silver award at New Zealand’s “Best Design” awards. TRUBLUE was entered in the “Product – Non Consumer” category. Click here to learn more.

As a result of the award, TRUBLUE was also featured on the TV NZ, the national station of New Zealand.  Click here to view the segment.

TRUBLUE Auto Belay and Eldorado’s Gecko Climbing Wall Featured on ESPN’s Rise Up

TRUBLUE Auto Belays was recently featured on an episode of ESPN’s RISE UP, an original series that tells the story of four communities coming together to renovate their local high school athletic facilities.

To support the renovation of the athletic facilities at Dyett High School in Chicago, IL, Eldorado Climbing Walls donated the materials and installation for a Gecko Modular Climbing Wall and TRUBLUE Auto Belays. As avid climbers ourselves, we jumped at the opportunity to expose the students at Dyett to the experience of indoor rock climbing.

The Gecko Modular Climbing Wall and TRUBLUE Auto Belays are a perfect combination for a high school climbing wall. The climbing wall is fun to climb for the students and low maintenance for the school, while the auto belays make it easy for the students to just clip in and climb.

TRUBLUE representatives were onsite for the installation and the reveal of the facilities to students, faculty and staff. It was amazing to see the excitement and enthusiasm that the students had for the climbing wall. While none of the students had climbing experience, they eagerly embraced the opportunity to get on the wall and try something new.

It has come to the attention of TRUBLUE Auto Belays that the TRUBLUE Auto Belay has been used as a zip line braking device.  This is not an approved usage of the TRUBLUE Auto Belay, and its use as such can result in serious injury to participants.

It has been demonstrated in laboratory testing, that when such an impact deceleration load is applied to a TruBlue, the device brakes far too severely and may result in:
1. Potential injuries to participants (related to rapid decelerations), and/or
2. Damage to the device, potentially rendering it inoperable.

Use of the TRUBLUE Auto Belay in this manner renders the warranty void.  TRUBLUE Auto Belays is not responsible for any damages, injuries or death resulting from this misuse of the device.

TRUBLUE Auto Belays has developed the zipSTOP Zip Line Braking system for use as a zip line braking device.  For more information on this system, please visit www.thezipshop.com.

If you have any questions regarding the above or need additional information, please contact TRUBLUE Auto Belays at 877-565-6885 (720-565-6885) or info@climbtru.com

During this year’s OutDoor Show (14 to 17 July 2011), the TRUBLUE Auto Belay received an OutDoor INDUSTRY AWARD – the most prestigious award honoring quality in this industry. A total of 301 products from 23 different countries from around the world took part in the innovative award competition. After their judging session in Hannover on 28 and 29 June 2011, the jurors named 46 award winners, including the TRUBLUE Auto Belay.

Manufacturers, developers and designers were called upon to submit their new product developments focusing on the topic of the outdoors in eight different categories: Apparel/helmets/shoes, Backpacks/travel luggage, Mountain-climbing equipment, Camping equipment, Sleeping bags, Accessories, Products of high ecological and sustainable value and Material innovations. In addition to the evaluation criterion of design quality, the judges also took into account such other aspects as degree of innovation, workmanship, choice of materials, environmental compatibility, sustainability, functionality, utility, safety, trendsetting character and brand value/branding.

The TRUBLUE Auto Belay has won the prestigious “red dot” award for high quality design. Only products that clearly stand out from comparable products due to their outstanding design receive the soughtafter quality seal from the international jury.

John McGowan, President of TRUBLUE Auto Belays, and Bill Gordon, CEO of Holmes Solutions Limited, received their award at the Red Dot Gala on July 4 in Essen Germany. More information about the “red dot” awards can be found at http://en.red-dot.org/

Attention government entities!

The TRUBLUE Auto Belay is now available for purchase via GSA Advantage. Authorized entities purchasing from the GSA Schedule may click here and search for the product.

Our GSA Contract number is GS-03F-0119X and it is held by Eldorado Wall Company. Additional products will be added in the coming weeks.